Squirrel-Net Teaching Modules Published on CourseSource

CourseSource and Squirrel-Net are excited to announce the publication of five Squirrel-Net articles on CourseSource! Squirrel-Net (http://squirrel-net.org) is a group of mammalogists from eight institutions who have developed four field-based CUREs (Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences) focused on sciurid rodents (e.g., squirrels, chipmunks, marmots, prairie dogs, etc.). Each module is linked to a national dataset, allowing for broader and more complex hypotheses and analyses than would be possible using data from a single institution. Each module has been field tested at different institutions, is easily implemented, and is highly flexible for different courses, habitats, and focal species. Teaching modules can be used on their own or in combination to provide authentic research experiences to a diversity of undergraduates. An accompanying essay provides suggestions for adapting modules to different levels of inquiry and/or for scaffolding across a course or an entire curriculum. Moreover, the Squirrel-Net website provides templates to help lower barriers to CURE implementation (e.g., help in selecting a field site and squirrel identification, writing institutional animal care protocols), videos introducing each module, and access to the authors for questions or help.

Read the essay that introduces Squirrel-Net, as well as the four teaching modules:

• An Introduction to the Squirrel-Net Teaching Modules
• Squirreling Around for Science: Observing Sciurid Rodents to Investigate Animal Behavior
• Sorry to Eat and Run: A Lesson Plan for Testing Trade-off in Squirrel Behavior Using Giving Up Densities (GUDs)
• How Many Squirrels Are in the Shrubs? A Lesson Plan for Comparing Methods for Population Estimation
• Squirrels in Space: Using Radio Telemetry to Explore the Space Use and Movement of Sciurid Rodents